Bank Vole

Bank Vole
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Arvicolinae
Genus:	Myodes
Species:	M. glareolus
Binomial name
Myodes glareolus (Schreber, 1780)

The Bank Vole (Myodes glareolus) is a small vole with red-brown fur and some grey patches. It lives in woodland areas and is around 100 mm in length. It is found in western Europe and northern Asia. It was accidentally introduced to the south west of Ireland. Bank voles can be found all over mainland Britain, but prefer coppiced areas of woodland with dense vegetation such as bracken and bramble. They can live for 18 months and are omnivorous, eating insects and fruits such raspberries.

It is the smallest vole found in the UK. It boasts very prominent ears and chestnut-brown fur. They can be distinguished from mice by their short, blunt, almost hamster-like noses.

Their ears are clearly visible (unlike in the field vole). Its tail is about half as long as body (It's shorter in the field vole, longer in a mouse). Adults have red brown fur. After the wood mouse it is probably Britain's most abundant small rodent. Bank voles are found in woods, hedges, scrub and gardens. Also known as the common vole. Eats: hazelnuts, seeds, berries, green plants and fungi. Eaten by: kestrel, fox, tawny owl and cat.

They live in underground chambers lined with moss, feathers and vegetable fibre. Inside the chamber they keep a store of food.

Young bank voles in their nest beneath a wood pile

References

• Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894-1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.

Ferris-Khan, R. (Ed.). 1995. The Ecology of Woodland Creation. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.

External links

Wikispecies has information related to: Clethrionomys glareolus

• ARKive Photos,Video.